Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 893: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of arrests for drug offences in County Kildare in each of the past three years; the number of successful convictions arising from these arrests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30254/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Following the submission in 2004 of a report and recommendations by an expert group on crime statistics, it was determined by the Government that the compilation and publication of crime statistics should be taken over from An Garda Síochána by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical agency. The Garda Síochána Act 2005 consequently made provision for this and the CSO has established a dedicated unit for this purpose. Following the setting up of the necessary technical systems and auditing of the data from which the statistics are compiled, the CSO is now compiling and publishing criminal statistics and has published provisional headline crime statistics since the third quarter of 2006. Accordingly, I have requested the CSO to provide the statistics sought by the Deputy directly to him.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 894: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of arrests in respect of card skimming in County Kildare in each of the past two years; the number of successful prosecutions arising from these arrests; the plans he has to introduce laws to combat this crime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30255/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The practice of 'card-skimming' involves the unauthorised copying of information from a customer's ATM card which facilitates the criminal stealing of cash by using the illegally obtained data. I am informed that it is not possible, without a disproportionate expenditure of Garda time and resources, to indicate the number of arrests made or convictions recorded in respect of such offences as requested by the Deputy. I am assured by the Garda authorities that An Garda Síochána is in constant liaison with financial institutions with a view to tackling ATM fraud which is being targeted through various fora including bi-monthly meetings of the ATM Fraud Forum, which is comprised of representatives of the various financial institutions and An Garda Síochána and is chaired by the Irish Payment Card Services Organisation (IPSO).

This type of criminal activity is also addressed through the Hi-Tech Crime Forum which comprises representatives of the banking institutions, the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation, the Internet Service providers, IPSO and other stakeholders as deemed appropriate. This forum meets every two months. Any perceived weaknesses or new attack methods identified are discussed at these meetings in order to identify counter-measures to prevent further occurrences. The provisions of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001 cover a wide-range of offences including theft, deception, forgery, using a false instrument, and are deemed to adequately provide for the offences disclosed by this form of criminal activity.